JP2006239993A

JP2006239993A - Printing device

Info

Publication number: JP2006239993A
Application number: JP2005057490A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Tetsushi Kono; 哲史香野
Original assignee: Canon Inc
Current assignee: Canon Inc
Priority date: 2005-03-02
Filing date: 2005-03-02
Publication date: 2006-09-14

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten processing time until resumption of printing after correction of an error to resumed printing and increase an effective printing speed in connection with a preceding process during a paper ejection tray error in a printing device which regards the closing of a paper ejection tray cover when a start printing command is received as an error and stops printing. <P>SOLUTION: The printing device comprises a paper ejection tray opening and closing condition detection means, a stop means to stop printing when an error is detected, a resumption means to resume printing when the error is corrected, and a paper ejection tray error display means, and timely informs a user of the paper ejection tray error and performs processes which can be precedently performed even during the error. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

本発明は、印刷開始命令受信時に排紙トレイカバーが閉じられていた場合にエラーとし、印刷処理を停止する印刷装置における、排紙トレイエラー中での先行処理に関する。 The present invention relates to a preceding process during a paper discharge tray error in a printing apparatus that makes an error when the paper discharge tray cover is closed when a print start command is received and stops the printing process.

従来、印刷開始命令受信時に排紙トレイカバーが閉じられていた場合にエラーとし、印刷処理を停止する印刷装置において、排紙トレイエラーと判断された場合には、給紙動作を含む印刷処理を停止し、排紙トレイエラー解除後に給紙動作を含む印刷処理を行っていた。また、印刷前にヘッドメンテナンス処理が必要であった場合には、エラー解除後にヘッドメンテナンス処理を実行していた。 Conventionally, an error occurs when the paper discharge tray cover is closed when a print start command is received. In a printing apparatus that stops print processing, if it is determined that there is a paper discharge tray error, print processing including paper feeding operation is performed. The printer stopped and the printing process including the paper feeding operation was performed after the paper output tray error was cleared. Further, when the head maintenance process is necessary before printing, the head maintenance process is executed after the error is released.

又、別の従来例としては、特許文献１及び特許文献２をあげることが出来る。
特開２０００−２１８８８３号公報特開２００１−２３８０２８号公報 As another conventional example, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 can be cited.
JP 2000-218883 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-238028

このため、排紙トレイエラー解除後の再開印刷において、ヘッドメンテナンス処理および給紙処理から実行するため、エラー解除後から再開印刷までの時間が多くかかることになり、実効印刷速度が低下する要因となっていた。一方、ヘッドメンテナンス処理は、排紙トレイエラーとする前にメンテナンス処理を実行する印刷装置においては、排紙エラーとするタイミングがヘッドメンテナンス終了後であるため、使用者が排紙トレイエラーと認識するまでタイミングがずれるだけであり、トータルでの実効印刷時間は短くならない。 For this reason, in the resumption printing after the paper discharge tray error is canceled, since the head maintenance process and the paper feed process are executed, it takes a lot of time from the error cancellation to the resumption printing, which is a factor that reduces the effective printing speed. It was. On the other hand, in the printing apparatus that performs the maintenance process before the paper discharge tray error occurs, the user recognizes the paper discharge error as the paper discharge error timing after the head maintenance is completed. The total effective printing time is not shortened.

本発明は、先に説明したように、排紙トレイエラーを適切なタイミングで使用者に知らせるとともに、エラー中に先行して実施できる処理を行い、エラー解除後の再開印刷までの処理時間を短縮し、実効印刷速度の向上を図ることを目的とする。 As described above, the present invention notifies the user of a paper discharge tray error at an appropriate timing and performs processing that can be performed prior to the error, thereby shortening the processing time until resuming printing after canceling the error. The purpose is to improve the effective printing speed.

これらの課題を解決するため、本発明での印刷装置もしくは印刷システムでは、
排紙トレイ開閉状態検出手段と、エラー検出時に印刷処理を停止する停止手段、エラー解除時に印刷を再開するための再開手段および排紙トレイエラーの表示手段を備える。 In order to solve these problems, in the printing apparatus or printing system of the present invention,
A discharge tray open / close state detection unit, a stop unit that stops printing processing when an error is detected, a restart unit that restarts printing when an error is canceled, and a discharge tray error display unit are provided.

本発明は、排紙トレイ開閉状態検出手段と、エラー検出時に印刷処理を停止する停止手段、エラー解除時に印刷を再開するための再開手段および排紙トレイエラーの表示手段を備え、排紙トレイエラー中にあっても印刷装置に不具合が生じない処理においては先行して実行し、エラー解除後の再開印刷までの処理時間を短縮し、実効印刷速度の向上を図ることが達成できる。 The present invention comprises a discharge tray open / close state detection means, a stop means for stopping printing processing when an error is detected, a restart means for resuming printing when an error is released, and a discharge tray error display means. Processing that does not cause a problem in the printing apparatus even if it is inside can be executed in advance, shortening the processing time until resuming printing after canceling the error, and improving the effective printing speed.

以下、添付図面に従って本発明に係る実施形態の一例を詳細に説明する。 Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

図１は、印刷装置の概要図である。印刷装置には、印刷後の排出用紙をスタックする排紙トレイ（１０２）がある。排紙トレイ（１０２）は折りたたみ可能で、図１−ａに示すように、使用していない場合には閉じられた状態にある（１０２−ａ）。印刷実行時には、図１−ｂに示すように、排紙トレイを使用者が開く必要がある（１０２−ｂ）。 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus has a paper discharge tray (102) for stacking discharged paper after printing. The paper discharge tray (102) is foldable and, as shown in FIG. 1-a, is closed when not in use (102-a). When performing printing, as shown in FIG. 1B, the user needs to open the paper discharge tray (102-b).

図２は、本実施形態での排紙トレイ開閉状態検出の説明図である。図２−ａ、ｂ、ｃに示すように、排紙トレイ遮光フラグ（２０２）が、排紙トレイ開閉センサ（２０１）に配置されている投光部（２０３）から射出される光を遮光し受光部（２０４）で受光できるか否かにより、排紙トレイの開閉状態を判定する。 FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of detection of the open / close state of the paper discharge tray in the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, the paper discharge tray light blocking flag (202) blocks light emitted from the light projecting unit (203) disposed in the paper discharge tray open / close sensor (201). The open / close state of the paper discharge tray is determined depending on whether the light receiving unit (204) can receive light.

図３フローチャートにより印刷命令受信時の処理を説明する。印刷開始命令受信時（ｓ３０１）には、先に説明した光学式の排紙トレイ開閉検出センサにより排紙トレイ開閉状態を検出する（ｓ３０２）。排紙トレイが開放状態であれば、排紙トレイエラー処理を実施し、排紙トレイエラーとし印刷処理を停止する（ｓ３０３）。次にこの印刷ジョブ実行された場合に、印刷ヘッドのメンテナンス処理が必要か否かの判断をする（ｓ３０５）。ヘッドメンテナンス処理が必要と判断された場合には、ヘッドメンテナンス処理を実施する（ｓ３０５）。次に、給紙処理を実行し、メカ的に紙ジャム状態とならない位置まで給紙・紙送りを実施する（ｓ３０６）。このとき、メカ構成によっては、紙ジャム状態にならない位置までの領域の印刷データを受信していれば、先行して印刷処理を実施する。このように先行して処理可能なところまでは、処理を実施して、排紙トレイエラーが解除されるまで待つ（ｓ３０７）。排紙トレイが開かれたことを検出した場合には、排紙トレイエラー解除処理を実施する（ｓ３０８）。そして、残量紙送りを実施し給紙処理を完了させ（ｓ３０９）、印刷処理を続行する（ｓ３１４）。印刷命令受信時に排紙トレイ開放状態であれば、必要であればヘッドメンテナンス処理（ｓ３１２）を実効し、給紙処理（ｓ３１３）および印刷処理（ｓ３１４）を実行する。 The processing when a print command is received will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the print start command is received (s301), the discharge tray open / close state is detected by the optical discharge tray open / close detection sensor described above (s302). If the paper discharge tray is in an open state, paper discharge tray error processing is performed, and a paper discharge tray error is determined and printing processing is stopped (s303). Next, when this print job is executed, it is determined whether or not print head maintenance processing is necessary (s305). If it is determined that the head maintenance process is necessary, the head maintenance process is performed (s305). Next, a paper feed process is executed, and paper feed / paper feed is carried out to a position where no paper jam occurs mechanically (s306). At this time, depending on the mechanical configuration, if the print data of the area up to the position where the paper jam state does not occur is received, the print processing is performed in advance. The processing is executed up to the point where processing can be performed in advance, and the process waits until the paper discharge tray error is canceled (s307). If it is detected that the paper discharge tray is opened, a paper discharge tray error canceling process is performed (s308). Then, the remaining amount of paper is fed to complete the paper feed process (s309), and the print process is continued (s314). If the paper discharge tray is open when the print command is received, the head maintenance process (s312) is executed if necessary, and the paper feed process (s313) and the print process (s314) are executed.

図４に示すように、排紙トレイエラー処理（ｓ４０１）では、データ受信（ｓ４０２）および印刷制御を停止（ｓ４０３）し、エラーＬＥＤを点灯させる（ｓ４０４）。 As shown in FIG. 4, in the paper discharge tray error process (s401), the data reception (s402) and print control are stopped (s403), and the error LED is turned on (s404).

図５に示すように、排紙トレイエラー解除処理（ｓ５０１）では、エラーＬＥＤを消灯（ｓ５０２）後、データ受信（ｓ５０３）および印刷制御を再開（ｓ５０４）させる。 As shown in FIG. 5, in the paper discharge tray error cancellation process (s501), after the error LED is turned off (s502), the data reception (s503) and the print control are resumed (s504).

印刷装置概要。Printing device overview. 排紙トレイ開閉状態検出説明図。FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of detection of a discharge tray open / close state. 印刷受信処理フローチャート。10 is a flowchart of print reception processing. 排紙トレイエラー処理フローチャート。7 is a flowchart of a paper discharge tray error process. 排紙トレイエラー解除処理フローチャート。7 is a flowchart illustrating a process for canceling a paper discharge tray error.

Explanation of symbols

１０１給紙トレイ
１０２排紙トレイ
１０３エラーＬＥＤ
２０１排紙トレイ開閉センサ
２０２排紙トレイ遮光フラグ
２０３排紙トレイ開閉センサ投光部
２０４排紙トレイ開閉センサ受光部 101 Paper feed tray 102 Paper output tray 103 Error LED
201 Paper discharge tray open / close sensor 202 Paper discharge tray shading flag 203 Paper discharge tray open / close sensor Light emitting unit 204 Paper discharge tray open / close sensor Light receiving unit

Claims

In a printing apparatus having a discharge tray that can be opened and closed, the printer includes a sensor that detects opening and closing of the discharge tray, and a control unit that sets a discharge tray error based on a detection result of the sensor. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operation that does not affect the printing apparatus is performed in advance.

The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation that does not affect the printing apparatus even during a paper discharge tray error is a front-end paper feed process that is performed until a paper jam error does not occur.

The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation that does not affect the printing apparatus even during a paper discharge tray error is a printing process that is performed until a paper jam error does not occur.

The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation that does not affect the printing apparatus even during a paper discharge tray error in the printing apparatus according to claim 1 is a print head maintenance process.